FW: [magic gardening] Fw: Guerrilla gardeners in South London!

March 22, 2006

these vandals are armed with......... flowers?

-anouk

3/22/2006 3:41:55 PM

[magic gardening] Fw: Guerrilla gardeners in South London!

See also http://www.guerrillagardening.org/index.html for more info on this inspiring story!- > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4828396.stm>>> Guerrilla gardeners wage turf war>> Guerrilla gardeners are sowing the seeds of resistance in south London, > with> a spot of illicit gardening in its neglected public spaces.>> Striking at night, armed only with shrubs and plants, they set out to> brighten up roundabouts and verges.>> Last week saw a two-night blitz on a barren traffic island on Westminster> Bridge Road, which now boasts an array of new shrubs and bulbs.>> The BBC has been unable to find the site's owners to ask what they think.>> Two adjoining councils and Transport for London said the traffic island > was> nothing to do with them.>> "They could say I'm a vandal, but I'm vandalising with plants," said > founder> member Richard Reynolds, 28, who until recently worked in advertising.>> "Hopefully they don't think that's too destructive, in fact hopefully they> think it's quite supportive.">> Mr Reynolds, who lives on the sixth floor of a tower block, decided to > start> gardening in October 2004 after moving to Elephant and Castle.>> "The surrounding area was pretty shabby so I thought I'd do something > about> it," he said.>> Now he has 171 people on his membership list, some emailing him with tales> of their own gardening antics.>> And he said that each time he sets out on a new project, more well-wishers> join him.>> Last week passers-by stopped to congratulate the group on their work and> helped the secret gardeners as they planted lavender and an assortment of> shrubs and bulbs.>>>>> It's about brightening up people's lives and putting a bit of green and> flowers into the grey areas of London> Camilla Maxwell-Morris>> Mr Reynolds said he has never run into any problems with the authorities -> in fact he even entered one of his guerrilla gardens into a local "in > bloom"> competition and got a nomination.>> Sites have included a corner of a Bermondsey car park, planters in> Camberwell Green and repeated visits to a roundabout in Elephant and > Castle> where new flowers were first hit by a car, then damaged by salty road > spray.>>> It is a continuing battle against vandalism, water shortages and errant> cars, but the guerrilla gardeners are holding firm.>> Member Camilla Maxwell-Morris told the BBC: "It's about brightening up> people's lives and putting a bit of green and flowers into the grey areas > of> London.">> Story from BBC NEWS:> http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/london/4828396.stm>> Published: 2006/03/21 11:21:31 GMT>> © BBC MMVI>